Business of Sport

Today, we are delighted to welcome one of the very few female CEO’s in the English Football League. Polly Bancroft spearheads the Grimsby Town revolution that has seen the club thrive across the board, currently vying for a place in the League Two play-off final. We recorded this a few days before the disappointing 2-1 first-leg loss of Grimsby’s play-off semi final with Salford, but it’s still all to play for going into Friday’s decider.
Whether successful or not in the mission to get promoted, this conversation should leave you in little doubt that this is a football club with plenty to look forward to. It reminded me of two things: first that we have the most incredible footballing system in the world, and secondly that clubs really are the bedrock of communities. The second point may seem obvious, but listen to this. Listen to how influential Grimsby is to the local area and everyone in it. Polly’s job is of course to deliver success on the pitch, but it is also to support over 100,000 people in the local community, and she articulates the balance perfectly.
From that incredible night against Manchester United earlier this season to ensuring the club is run as a sustainable business, this is for both Grimsby and sports fans to enjoy. We’re delighted to welcome Polly to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses https://www.airwallex.com/uk/

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth https://geminisports.ai/

Navan
Save BIG with Navan’s Business Travel Management https://navan.com/uk/sign-up/home

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
[email protected]

After a bucket load of requests, it’s time to talk about West Ham. I’ve been nervous about discussing them because I didn’t want to inflict the Breakdown curse and condemn them to relegation, but their situation on the pitch when reviewed against the wider business needs discussing. I think they’ve been getting off lightly. Add to that a look at what happens when a sports executive dares to suggest a club or team needs to think differently to thrive in this modern sporting environment, and the growth of the WNBA as it kicks off a new season this weekend.

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at [email protected] and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.

⁠We’re delighted to partner with Obelisk Sports Agency⁠
⁠⁠https://obelisksports.com/⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

This week we welcome Bristol Bears CEO Tom Tainton to the show. With a new league structure recently announced and some high profile investments across the Prem, this is a great time to talk rugby and look at one of the top clubs pushing for their first title, to take them to the next level.
Now since we recorded this show last week, there has been a lot of blowback from some fans and media based on comments made by Tom at a sports industry event, most of which seems to boil down to his suggestion Bristol are a marketing business playing rugby. To those of you that listen regularly, you’ll know a huge part of our conversations with CEO’s running clubs will include our firm belief that teams are content/marketing businesses and have to think like that to continue to develop in the most competitive sports market there has ever been.
On the blowback, what I can say is this. Tom is one of the most impressive CEO’s that has sat in this chair with us, across sport. He speaks like an executive that gets it. He understands the demands placed on clubs in this day and age to be more than their performance on the pitch. But, and it’s a big but, not once did I feel like he believed this was at the expense of what happens on the pitch. He clearly says the next big target is to win silverware. Win the Prem. A Bristolian running one of the city’s major sporting assets; this is what you want to see in sport. So for this conversation, think about the future of the club and the sport as a combination of striving to win on and off the pitch. It’s a challenge, but it’s a challenge all teams face to maintain relevance. From what I saw, for what it’s worth, Bristol Bears have someone in charge who is intent on driving both in equal measure. We’re delighted to welcome Tom to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
⁠https://geminisports.ai/

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠[email protected]

After a huge week of golf and snooker last time out, we’re breaking more new ground this week. The sub two hour marathon; it’s finally been achieved in an official race when Sebastian Sawe won the London Marathon at the weekend. But do the athletes achieving these feats get the recognition they deserve? As is there a broader problem facing athletics as fights for attention in the most competitive sporting landscape? Add to that a look at F1 as it returns with the Miami Grand Prix after a 5 week break with a few amendments to the regulations, and the craziest final day of league season you’re likely to see, as York score a 103rd minute equaliser against Rochdale to get promoted to the football league, and we have ourselves a breakdown 

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at [email protected] and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.

We’re delighted to partner with Obelisk Sports Agency
⁠https://obelisksports.com/⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠[email protected]

Player & Agent; we’ve been targeting a show like this for years, and today we bring it to you. This relationship is one of the most important in sport, but shrouded in mystery and hear say, often not portraying either side in the best light.
You can put that all aside today. Crystal Palace centre back and the USA’s Men’s Player of the Year Chris Richards joined us with his agent Alan Redmond to talk through what it is like operating at the highest level in sport…together. Chris’s story is unique, from finding football as a youngster in Dallas to moving to Bayern Munich as a teenager to being a Premier League regular and FA Cup Winner. The role stable representation and Alan in particular has played in that seems integral; that’s what I took from this conversation.
This really is one of a kind insight. Sit back and enjoy as we welcome Chris and Alan to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
https://www.airwallex.com/uk/

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth 
https://geminisports.ai/

Navan
Save BIG with Navan’s Business Travel Management 
https://navan.com/uk/sign-up/home

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
[email protected]